donald trump’s tried in Florida for Illegal storage of confidential documents The judge made the decision Tuesday after his retirement was postponed indefinitely, significantly reducing his chances of ever sitting on a jury in one of the two federal criminal cases against him before he leaves office. November 5th US Election.
Trump, who is seeking to regain the presidency, was previously scheduled to go on trial on May 20 in the documents case brought by special counsel Jack Smith, but both the prosecution and defense have announced that the date will be postponed. I recognized it. need to be delayed.
U.S. District Judge Eileen Cannon, who was appointed to the bench by President Trump in 2020, said Tuesday that the trial will no longer begin on May 20, but did not set a new date. Cannon was scheduled for a pretrial hearing until July 22.
After leaving office in 2021, President Trump will face 40 federal charges accusing him of storing classified national security documents at his Mar-a-Lago, Florida mansion and obstructing U.S. government efforts to retrieve the documents. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
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Mr. Smith faces major obstacles to bringing any federal lawsuit against Mr. Trump to trial before the election. Cannon has not yet ruled on several legal issues important to the docket litigation. Support by signals He defended Trump on several issues.
In a separate case filed by Smith related to President Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss, the U.S. Supreme Court appears poised to find that: Former presidents have at least some immunity. From prosecution for official actions. The result is probably further delayed Lower courts will decide which claims against Trump in his election-related lawsuits qualify for that legal shield.
Mr. Trump’s lawyers have said a trial in the documents case should not begin until after the election, but proposed an Aug. 12 date in response to an order from Cannon to propose a date for the case. Mr. Smith suggested a July start date.
Trump’s lawyers have worked to delay all four criminal cases he faces.
“We’re in a completely unprecedented situation where defendants potentially have the power to terminate their own prosecution,” said George Washington University law professor Randall Eliason, an expert on white-collar criminal cases. said. “That’s an argument to get this case to trial before the election.”
President Trump has been on trial in New York state court since April 15 on charges that he illegally tried to conceal hush money payments he made to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. He has also been charged in state court in Georgia with attempting to overturn the 2020 election.
President Trump has sought to portray all lawsuits against him as politically motivated.
Charges in the Florida case include violating the Espionage Act, which criminalizes the unauthorized possession of national defense information, as well as conspiracy to obstruct justice and making false statements to investigators.
in April Reuters/Ipsos pollNearly a quarter of Republican respondents and more than half of independents said they would not vote for Trump if a jury convicted him of a felony.
If any federal lawsuit goes to a jury before the election, it will likely be in the weeks immediately before Nov. 5, and the outcome is unlikely to prompt accusations of election interference from Trump’s lawyers. It’s certain.
“Any judge would give up on the idea of trying a presidential candidate a month before an election,” said Kel McClanahan, a lawyer who specializes in national security issues and represents members of the intelligence community. Probably.”
But if Trump wins in November, neither case may be heard by a jury. As president, Trump could direct the Justice Department to drop the federal charges or seek a pardon for himself.
Smith’s team pushed the deadline in the Florida case, arguing that people have a right to a speedy trial. Prosecutor Jay Blatt told Cannon during the hearing that the fall trial would not violate Justice Department guidelines that prohibit last-minute investigative actions that could affect the outcome of the vote.
To Canon rejected twoBid by President Trump The charges are expected to be dropped, but some remain pending.She also said that the document personal record That decision could have implications for how she instructs jurors in future trials. Appeal by the prosecution And more delays.
